Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition

Just a few months after Zenith launched the Zenith El Primero Range Rover Special Edition to celebrate, erm, almost 50 years of the movement and the car they now launch a new Range Rover model. This is the Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition. A tribute to the new Range Rover Velar, which is a little bit smaller than the Ranger Rover Sport.

The new model, we’re talking about the watch, features a 42-millimeter ceramicised aluminium case. The brushed grey dial has copper color details and the hands and hour markers are copper color-plated. Land Rover uses aluminium on their cars but that is the only ‘thing’ the Velar and the Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition have in common. Yes, the words ‘Range Rover’ and ‘Velar’ are engraved on the back case. And ‘Range Rover’ is engraved on the oscillating weight. It’s a bit thin to honor, celebrate or tribute a car model.

The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition is more marketing than special

It seems to be the strategy of the fresh Zenith CEO Jean-Claude Biver, who also runs TAG Heuer and Hublot, amongst other brands. Biver is Head of Watchmaking at LVMH, a luxury goods conglomerate with a lot of brands. LVMH tries to find ways to sell more watches in a declining market. And it looks like their (or Bivers) solutions lies in tribute watches, special editions to celebrate partnerships, limited editions and re-creation of old models celebrating those old models. TAG is teaming-up with the Premier League, England’s top division in football. And with Manchester United. And with boxing, and Formula One. Hublot does Ferrari’s, artists, football as well and events with skulls. And Zenith has a lot of Rolling Stones, Range Rover, cigars and retro models (we like!). And this is just a selection of models that were launched this and last year.

Let’s hope this strategy works. As people might get a little bit bored by all those special and limited editions, those partnerships without any mutual relation. A chronograph and Formula One, we can see that. But a diver and football? It feels like some brands are just grabbing an existing model from the shelf, give it another color and here we go: a new limited or special edition. On the other hand; just launching a new model does not attract very much attention. And it costs a fortune to reach potential customers. The reach you’ll have by partnering with a (successful) Formula One team, a football club or a car brand is much bigger. Especially when you combine remarkable press moments. A car show, a championship, a commemoration.

Copper and soft black looks good (check the video)

Despite the fact that this new Zenith is more marketing than a real special edition it is still an attractive watch. The mix of the soft black tones of the case with the brushed blackish dial and copper details looks very nice. Besides that, the model houses the El Primero caliber, the well-known high-frequency movement. With column-wheel chronograph. Almost 50 years old and still going strong.

Somehow the copper details on the dial are more expensive than the regular dial found on the Range Rover Special Edition. As this one is almost 1,000 dollars / euro’s more expensive.